Reinforced felt fabric



May 20,l 1958 B. E. pox-z REINFORCED FELT FABRIC Filed April 18, 1955 [FIG 5 United States Patent O REINFORCED FELT FABRIC Burton E. Doe, Shrewsbury, Mass., assignor to The Felters Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts i Application April 18, `1955, Serial No. 501,896

7 Claims. (Cl. 28-79) The present invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of felted fabrics,y and more particularly to an improved light weight felted apparel fabric and a process of manufacturing the same.

In the manufacture of felted fabrics from wool and similar felting fibers when thevmaterial is felted down sufficiently to stand the tension and handling necessary to withstand the various handling and processing operations, such a felt will invariably attain a characteristic density and weight which for many purposes is found objectionable and substantially limits the number of uses to which such fabrics can be put. f

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a felted fabric which will be softer and at the same time of substantially lighter weight than felted apparel fabrics previously produced Which would be classified as stabilized non-flimsy felts.

With this and other objects in view a principal feature of the invention consists in a reinforcement of the felt by means of a stabilized coarse mesh fabric ofasmall denier synthetic fiber, a Warp knitted fabric such as Raschel or tricot being preferred.

With the above and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention consist also in the improved felted fabric shown and in the process for producing said product, as hereinafter more particularly described and as shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an exploded view of a felted fabric manufactured in accordance with the invention which in cludes a Raschel knit reinforcing coarse mesh fabric, together with an upper and a lower layer of felt;

Fig. 2 is an end section of the fabric shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the fabric shown, for example, in its exploded form in Fig. 1 with portions of the reinforcing fabric and top layer. of felt cut away to show the manner in which the fabric is formed;

4Fig 4 is an exploded view of an alternate form of the invention in which the warp. fabric is embedded in the surface of the felted fabric as a design feature thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional Viewv of the fabric shown in Fig. 4 illustrating particularly the position of the knitted fabric with relation to the surface of the material; and

lFig. 6 is a plan view of the materialshown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which a reinforcing fabric is incorporated into the upper surface of the material. p

The felted apparel fabric which forms the subject matter of the present invention consists of a felting material which may carry varying percentages of wool and other felting fiber, and a coarse mesh Warp knit fabric of small denier yarns stabilized by means of a thermosetting resin, said felting material and warp knit fabric vbeing then felted together to form a felted fabric having the knitted reinforcing fabric embodied therein.

In the preferred form of the invention shown the warp knit reinforcing fabric is knitted of an artificial fiber such as nylon having the usual high strength and durability Characteristics of such yarns.

An important feature of the invention consists in the type of fabric employed, it having been found that a warp knitted fabric having a Raschel or tricot Weave combines With the felting materials suitable for the manufacture of apparel felts to produce an unexpectedly soft, light weight, easily draped material which, at the same time, has been found to be extremely durable and has the additional characteristics of firmness and resistance to stretch normally found only in much heavier hard felted materials.

In the manufacture of the fabric above described a reinforcing fabric is preferably knitted from continuous filament artificial fibers which may be any one of a large class including viscose rayon, high tenacity rayon, nylon, polyester fiber such as Dacron, acrylic fibers such as Acrilan and similar products. It will be understood that any of these artificial fibers will have a high degree of tensile strength and are of uniform size so that while providing a reinforcing fabric of surprising strength such yarns of relatively small denier may be employed which do not interfere with the felting of the fabric and which are readily concealed in the felted material.

The reinforcing fabric provided in accordance with the invention is constructed from the small denier continuous filament artificial fibers above described in the form of a coarse mesh which is well adapted to permit the infiltration and felting of the fibers through the mesh and around the individual strands of the mesh.

In the preferred form of the invention a warp knitted fabric is employed which may be a Raschel or tricot Weave. Fabric of this form, while capable of only a small amount of stretch longitudinally and of no more than a moderate amount of stretch laterally, has been found to combine with apparel quality felting material in such a manner as to provide a light Weight felted material which has qualities of firmness, resiliency, and drape which are not ordinarily obtainable in apparel felts. In the manufacture of felted apparel fabrics in accordance with the invention it has been found that the reinforcing fabric should have a mesh in the order of l2 interstices per `inch in order that the felting fibers may be freely felted together through and aroundthe strands of the mesh. The preferred netting should weigh between one-half ounce and one ounce per square yard. The denier of the knitted fabric will vary in fineness depending upon the fiber employed, but Will range between fifteen and one hundred denier.

A further feature of the invention consists in the use of a warped knitted fabric of artificial fibers as above described of which the strands have been stabilized by coating with a suitable thermosetting resin. Such resins which have been found suitable for this use include ureaformaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde condensates, melamineformaldehyde condensates, alkyd resins, thio-urea-formaldehyde condensation products, and methacrylate resins. The stabilized reinforcing warp knitted fabric produced as above described has been found to have a maximum amount of strength and durability and will resist erosion and abrasion causing the individual strands of the knitting to be glued together into a mesh fabric of almost Wire-like quality. The stabilizing process consists specifically in coating the warp knitted fabric with a suitable thermosetting resin of the general class above described which is thereafter cured by heating the material to a high temperature which will not later be exceeded in processing.

Example l Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3 a carded batt of fibers 10 suitable for felting was produced weighing 41/2 ounces per square yard and was superimposed on a warp knit a.) Raschel nylon netting 12 weighing one ounce per square yard, the netting having been stabilized with melamineformaldehyde resin. There was then superimposed on the netting a second carded ber batt 14 weighing 41/2 ounces per square yard. This sandwich-like mass of material was then caused to be felted together and through the netting by subjection to the usual felt hardening process using moisture, heat and mechanical action between platens or rollers.

It will be understood that the hardening process referred to is applied to applicants combination of the carded batts of felting material in combination with the reinforcing fabric to produce a reinforced felt Vwhich for strength, resistance to abrasion and other felt-like properties equals a felt which would have required an hour or more of actual felting in a usual subsequent felting process in stocks or rotary felting machines.

' VIt will be understood that the reinforced felt may be dyed in this form or may be felted further if a particular firmness is desired.

Example Il Three ounce per square yard carded Vfelted fiber batts are placed on both sides of a one ounce rayon warp knit net stabilized with urea-formaldehyde resin, and the composite structure was then processed as in Example 1 by subjection to the felt hardening process using moisture,` heat and mechanical action between platens or rollers.

Example III Referring to Figs. 4, and 6, after the usual carding and preparation of wool or other felt fiber or `of wool and additive fibers into a plurality of webs, superimposed on one another in the form of a batt 18, a layer of warp knit netting which may be Raschel or tricot and is stabilized as above set forth, is laminated dry onto the batt. The layer fabric structure was then subjected to the usual hardening process using heat, moisture and mechanical'action to cause the wool fiber to matt through the interstices of the netting. In this form of the invention the netting is incorporated into-the surface of the felted material to provide a visible pattern-of the netting in the surface of the felt. f

The reinforced feltedv apparel fabrics above described have been found to have substantially improved qualities of stability and resistance to distortion as compared with any non-reinforced felt of the same weight. To the usual distinguishing characteristics of -a felted fabric which include resistance to fraying and to raveling are added a high degree of stability, of resistance to wrinkling, and a limiting of stretch which are introduced by the warp knit reinforced fabric.

The improvement in quality of the felted apparel fabrics produced in accordance with the present invention having a warp knitreinforcing fabric of synthetic ber t' stabilized with a thermosetting resin embedded therein is equally marked in comparison with felts produced with woven reinforcing fabrics having a leno weave, or weft knitted fabrics embedded therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A felted apparel fabric which comprises felting liber suitable for apparel felts, and a coarse mesh knitted fabric of small denier' synthetic fiber stabilized with a thermosetting resin, said knitted fabric being embedded in the felting fiber and felted together with the felting fiber passing through said fabric and around the synthetic ber in said knitted fabric.

2. A felted apparel fabric which comprises felting fiber suitable for apparel felts, and a coarse (in the order of twelve interstices per inch) mesh warp knit fabric of small (betweenfifteen and one hundred) denier continuous filament synthetic ber of a class which includes viscose rayon, nylon, Daeron, Acrilan and the like synthetic fibers stabilized with a thermosetting resin of a class including urea-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde condensates, melamine-formaldehyde condensates, alkyd resins, thio-ureaformaldehyde condensation products, and methacrylate resins, said fabric being embedded in the felting fiber and felted together with the felting ber passing through said fabric and around the synthetic fiber in said fabric.

3. A felted apparel fabric which comprises a coarse mesh warp knit fabric of small denier continuous filament synthetic fiber stabilized with a thermosetting resin, said fabric being embedded betweenbatts of felting fiber suitable for apparel felts, said felting fiber being felted together with and passing through the intervening fabric and around said synthetic fiber into a homogeneous reinforced felted apparel fabric.

4. A felted apparel fabric which comprises a coarse mesh warp knit fabric of small denier continuous filament synthetic ber stabilized with a thermosetting resin, and a batt of felting ber laid thereagainst and felted together into a felted fabricso that the felting fiber passes through said knit fabric and around said synthetic fiber, whereby said warp knit fabric is embedded into the surface of the felted fabric.

5. A felted apparel fabric which comprises a coarse mesh warp knit fabric weighing approximately one ounce per square yard knitted of small denier continuous lament fiber inthe order of 15-100 denier, having interstices in the order of 12 to the inch, and stabilized with a thermosetting resin, said fabric being embedded between batts of felting ber suitable for apparel felts each weighing in the order of 41/2 ounces per square yard and felted together with the intervening fabric, said felting fiber passing through said knit fabric and around the continuous filament ber to form a homogeneous reinforced felt apparel fabric.

6. A felted apparel fabric which comprises a warp knit coarse knit nylon netting weighing in the order of one ounce per square yard stabilized with a melamine-formaldehyde resin, said fabric being embedded between batts of felting ber suitable for apparel felts weighing in the order of 41/2 ounces per square yard felted together with the intervening fabric, said felting fiber passing through and around said netting to form a homogeneous reinforced felted apparel fabric.

7. A felted apparel yfabric which comprises a coarse meshrwarp knit fabric of rayon fiber stabilized with ureaformaldehyde resin, said fabric being embedded between batts of vfelted fiber suitable for apparel felts weighing approximately three ounces per square yard felted together with the intervening fabric, said felted ber passing through said knit fabric and around the rayon fiber to form a homogeneous reinforced felted apparel fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,529,7014 Hewitt Mar. 17, 1925 1,735,639 Densteny Nov. 12, 1929 1,991,464 Mellerio Feb. 19, 1935 2,013,620 Ashby Sept. 3, 1935 2,294,898 Fourness et al. Sept. 8, 1942 2,543,101 Francis Feb. 27, 1951 V2,590,586 Thompson et al. Mar. 25, 1952 2,601,770 Goldsmith July 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 476 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1862 716,228 Great Britain July 13, 1950 

1. A FELTED APPAREL FABRIC WHICH COMPRISES FELTING FIBER SUITABLE FOR APAREL FELTS, AND A COARSE MESH KNITTED FABRIC OF SMALL DENIER SYNTHETIC FIBER STABILIZED WITH A THERMOSETTING RESIN, SAID KNITTED FABRIC BEING EMBEDDED IN THE FELTING FIBER AND FELTED TOGETHER WITH THE FELTING FIBER PASSING THROUGH SAID FABRIC AND AROUND THE SYNTHETIC FIBER IN SAID KNITTED FABRIC. 